TARRINGTON PARISH COUNCIL (TPC)
MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF TARRINGTON PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY 15TH MAY 2023 AT 7.30 PM IN LADY EMILY COMMUNITY HALL
Present: Cllrs Gillian Board, Jakki Cunningham, Paul Grey, Robert Hodges, Ian Howard, John Tallis (Chairman), Janette Ward.
In attendance: Cllr Graham Biggs (Ward Councillor).
Paul Hayden (Clerk).
Public: Four.
36/23 ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN AND DECLARATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF OFFICE
Cllr Janette Ward opened the meeting as outgoing Vice-Chair to welcome members of the public and to request nominations for the position of Chairman for the forthcoming year. Cllr Tallis was proposed and seconded by Cllrs Grey and Hodges respectively, and unanimously elected. Cllr Tallis signed his Declaration of Acceptance of Office and assumed the Chair.
37/23 ELECTION OF VICE CHAIRMAN
Cllr Ward was proposed and seconded by Cllrs Grey and Hodges respectively, and unanimously elected.
38/23 APOLOGIES
No apologies received.
39/23 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST & WRITTEN DISPENSATION REQUESTS
No interests declared or written dispensations requested.
40/23 TO CO-OPT TO FILL THE CURRENT VACANCY
Following the uncontested election of parish councillors, there is one councillor vacancy.
RESOLVED: Item deferred to the next meeting.
41/23 ELECTION OF OTHER OFFICERS
RESOLVED: To appoint the following officers:
Village Hall Representative – Cllr Hodges.
Footpaths officer – Cllr Ward.
Internal Auditor – Mr Ian Pardoe.
42/23 ANNUAL POLICY REVIEW AND APPROVAL
RESOLVED: The following policies were reviewed and approved for use by TPC:
42.1/23 Standing Orders.
42.2/23 Financial Regulations.
42.3/23 Councillor Code of Conduct.
42.4/23 Risk Assessment Schedule.
42.5/23 Privacy Policy.
42.6/23 Freedom of Information to be Published Policy.
42.7/23 Complaints Policy.
43/23 PUBLIC SESSION
43.1/23 The Chairman welcomed Cllr Graham Biggs to the meeting and congratulated him on his election. The first full council meeting will be held on the 19th May 2023 and Cllr Biggs will be able to give Members a report at the next PC meeting. Members asked Cllr Biggs to keep the following parish concerns in mind: speeding, potholes, PROW maintenance and support.
The Chairman thanked the outgoing ward councillor Cllr John Hardwick for all his support, guidance and hard work on behalf of the parish council.
43.2/23 Local resident raised a serious concern about dangerous driving in the narrow country lanes in Little Tarrington. Problems include speeding drivers, caravans accessing the caravan park not using the signed junction off the A438, increased HGV traffic, dangers posed to dog walkers and horse riders. Road markings and slow warning signs have been worn away presenting a major hazard to road users.
RESOLVED: Clerk requested to raise the problem with Herefordshire Council Highways Department and to copy the new Ward Councillor on all correspondence.
44/23 MINUTES FROM THE ORDINARY MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY 13th MARCH 2023
RESOLVED: These minutes were approved as an accurate record of the meeting and signed by the Chairman.
45/23 PLANNING
Members considered the following applications to be determined by Herefordshire Council:
45.1/23 Planning Consultation – 230655 – Land to the north of Tarrington Wastewater Treatment Works, East of C1150, Tarrington, HR1 4JA. Proposed creation of an Integrated Constructed Wetland. RESOLVED: To support this application.
45.2/23 Planning Consultation – 231119 – The Tarrington Arms, Tarrington, HR1 4HX. Proposed car park to the front (roadside) to replace carpark at rear (to be garden area). Proposed shed housing milk vending machine within car park and gates across existing drive way.
Members are supportive of the milk vending part of the application but have strong reservations about this application due to the lack of detail provided and the perceived loss of parking spaces which Members believe will impact negatively on the viability of the public house business resulting in the loss of a valued social and community facility.
RESOLVED: To strongly object to this application.
45.3/23 Planning Consultation – 230696 – Little Yarkhill Court, Yarkhill, HR1 3TD. Proposed part internal conversion and change of use from agricultural to partially business use.
RESOLVED: To support this application.
46/23 ROAD SAFETY
Members considered this item. It was NOTED that TPC are still awaiting a response from Balfour Beatty Living Places (BBLP) on their road calming submission to the Herefordshire Council Village Safety Initiatives Scheme.
The gully at the junction of Church Lane and School Road is still blocked despite recent Balfour Beatty action. The problem is complicated by a broken drain-pipe and was escalated to a drainage technician on the 4 January 2023.
The foul water issue has been addressed by the property owner.
The recent heavy rain has identified a number of blocked drains throughout the village which require clearing by BBLP, particularly along the A438.
RESOLVED: Cllr Hodges will continue to monitor the blocked gully and report back on progress at the next meeting.
RESOLVED: The Clerk requested to arrange a meeting with the BBLP Locality Steward and Cllr Howard to investigate the blocked drains and seek a resolution.
47/23 WEST MERCIA POLICE COMMUNITY CHARTER
It was NOTED that the Clerk has written to the West Mercia Police Traffic Management Adviser requesting an update on the promised speed data survey in Garbrook and speed enforcement in Tarrington. No update has been received for this meeting.
RESOLVED: Clerk requested to progress speed enforcement and speed data collection with West Mercia Police.
48/23 SID & S106 FUNDS
Herefordshire Council S106 team have reimbursed TPC for the purchase of the two Speed Indicator Devices (SIDs) for speed reduction purposes.
It was NOTED that Herefordshire Council (HC) visited the proposed SID location at Garbrook on the 19th April 2023 and provisional agreement given by HC for installation. No written confirmation has been received.
RESOLVED: The Clerk requested to progress this request with the HC officer in charge.
49/23 FINANCE
49.1/23 Members approved the financial reports from the Responsible Finance Officer (RFO).
49.2/23 Members considered all the invoices listed by the RFO.
49.2.1/23 Richard Morgan invoices 1629, 1647 & 1667 grass mowing £440.
49.2.2/23 Tarrington Tatler grant £700.
49.2.3/23 Autela Payroll Services Ltd invoice 11073 £59.65 plus VAT.
49.2.4/23 Clerk’s March 2023, April 2023 & May 2023 salaries.
49.2.5/23 PAYE £26.
49.2.6/23 Richard Mills invoice 3637 Lengthsman duties £191.75 plus VAT.
49.2.7/23 PAYE £26.
49.2.8/23 LECH insurance contribution £828.53.
49.2.9/23 LECH invoice 1122 hall hire charge £7.50 & LECH hire charge for 2023/23
invoice 1138 £75.
RESOLVED: All invoices approved for payment.
50/23 FOOTPATHS
Members considered the Parish Footpath Officer’s report. The broken stile at Church Hill on TR6 reported 13 July 2022. Reported again at the beginning of March 2023.
RESOLVED: Clerk requested to write to the parish Lengthsman to repair this stile on TR6.
51/23 SIGN FOR JUBILEE GREEN GATE
Sign for the gate at Jubilee Green installed.
RESOLVED: Item completed and removed from the agenda.
52/23 GROUNDWORKS UK NDP UNDERSPENT GRANT REPAYMENT REQUEST
TPC had received a demand for the repayment of £2,205 grant underspend for the Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) relating to the 2018/19 financial year. The Clerk negotiated an extension of the grant period to include the final NDP which went to referendum in 2022 and submitted a final end of grant report which has been accepted and no repayment will be required.
RESOLVED: Item completed and removed from agenda.
53/23 MILK VENDING MACHINE
George Clay from Showie Court, Monkhide, updated Members about the agreed plan to install a milk vending machine at The Tarrington Arms public house to serve the local community with organic milk, milk shakes, butter and cheese all produced with organic milk from their farm.
RESOLVED: Item completed and removed from the agenda.
54/23 NEW PARISH NOTICEBOARD FOR THE NEW DEVELOPMENT AT LITTLE TARRINGTON
Cllr Hodges updated Members on his meeting with the developers who advised TPC to contact the management company once established.
RESOLVED: Item deferred to next year.
55/23 MATTERS RAISED FOR THE NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING ON MONDAY 10th JULY 2023
Co-option to fill current councillor vacancy.
Road Safety, including Little Tarrington.
West Mercia Police Community Charter and speed enforcement.
SID & S106.
Footpaths report and outstanding actions.
There being no further business the Chairman closed the meeting at 8.50 pm.
SIGNED…………………………………………………… DATE………………………………………